bayern munich football stadium tour

Allianz Arena Bayern München - Tours & Tickets

Prices, tickets & passes allianz arena bayern münchen, fc bayern munich allianz arena tour & panoramic city tour.

• Entrance and guided tour of Allianz Arena / FC Bayern grounds
• Live guide throughout the experience (English and German)
• Tour of the most important sights of Munich by bus
• Roundtrip transportation from Munich Central Station

FC Bayern Museum + Arena Tour

• Guided Tour Allianz Arena  (60 minutes with a trained Arena Guide)
• Visit to the FC Bayern Museum

About Allianz Arena Bayern München

Explore the Allianz Arena - Your Ultimate Stadium Tour Experience

Are you a football enthusiast or simply curious about the magic that happens behind the scenes of one of the most iconic stadiums in Europe? Look no further! Join us for an unforgettable stadium tour at the Allianz Arena, the home of FC Bayern Munich.

What to Expect on the Allianz Arena Stadium Tour:

• Breathtaking Architecture: The Allianz Arena is not just a football stadium; it's a piece of architectural art. Marvel at its striking facade, which can be illuminated in various colors to match the team playing at home. Your tour begins with a glimpse of this remarkable structure, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to capture Instagram-worthy photos.
• VIP Access: Get ready to walk in the footsteps of football legends. You'll have exclusive access to areas normally restricted to players and officials. Explore the players' tunnel, the dugouts, and even take a seat in the press conference room. Imagine yourself as a star player about to step onto the pitch!
• Behind-the-Scenes Insights: Discover what happens before and after the game. Visit the dressing rooms, where your favorite FC Bayern stars prepare for matches. Feel the adrenaline rush as you step onto the pitch, soaking in the atmosphere from the center circle. It's a chance to see the stadium from a whole new perspective.
• Interactive Exhibits: The Allianz Arena doesn't just showcase football; it also offers an immersive museum experience. Learn about the rich history of FC Bayern Munich through interactive exhibits, historical memorabilia, and multimedia displays. It's a journey through time that every football fan will appreciate.
• The FC Bayern Megastore: Before concluding your tour, don't forget to stop by the FC Bayern Megastore. Here, you can shop for official merchandise, jerseys, scarves, and other souvenirs to commemorate your visit. It's the perfect place to find the ultimate FC Bayern keepsake.

Planning Your Visit:

• Location: The Allianz Arena is conveniently located in the heart of Munich, Germany.
• Tour Duration: The stadium tour typically lasts around 75 minutes, including museum access.
• Ticket Information: Advance booking is recommended to secure your spot on the tour.
• Accessibility: The stadium is fully accessible, with facilities for individuals with disabilities.

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to explore the Allianz Arena, soak in the football history, and experience the passion of FC Bayern Munich. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just looking for an exciting day out, our stadium tour promises an unforgettable adventure. Book your tickets today and get ready for an experience that will leave you in awe of this footballing masterpiece.

Pictures of Allianz Arena Bayern München

Other Stadiums & Museums in Germany

Currently no other stadiums and museums available in this country.

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Bayern Munich stadium tour: How to visit unique Allianz Arena

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It's one of the most recognisable stadiums in world football, but how can you visit the stunning Bayern Munich stadium, the Allianz Arena?  Football Ground Guide  gives you all you need to know right here…

How to do a Bayern Munich stadium tour?

To book your tour in advance, head to the official club booking page here , but make sure to read the information below first to understand the differences in ticket prices and important details about matchday/non-matchday alterations.

What's included in the Bayern Munich stadium tour?

On a guided tour, you'll be taken to the tunnel at the Allianz Arena and have the chance to view it through the eyes of the players by walking out to the pitch. Your guide will talk your through the fascinating details behind a stadium unique in world football while you get the chance to see the press conference area and the manager's dugout.

The FC Bayern Museum, meanwhile, is the largest of any German football club and takes you through the remarkable history of the current German champions. You'll be able to see the club's huge trophy haul and some other great exhibits.

How long is the tour?

The total duration is around 2-3 hours, though you could do it in a shorter amount of time if needed.

The guided tour of the Allianz Arena takes one hour, while the recommended amount of time to view the FC Bayern Museum is 1-1.5 hours.

Crucially, if you're doing a tour that starts after 4pm, you should visit the museum before you go on the Allianz Arena stadium tour. Otherwise, the museum will close before you can see it.

The museum's opening times are 10am to 6pm. The tours go from around 10am to 5:30pm.

On matchdays, these opening times differ. You should check with the club when booking.

How much does a Bayern Munich stadium tour cost?

The Bayern Munich stadium tour ticket price for adults (14 years and older) is €25.

Concessions (students, pensioners, appretices, schoolchildren, members and severely disabled people) is €22, while children (6-13 years) cost only €11. Children younger than this can enter for free, but must be accompanied by an adult or legal guardian and a ticket booking is still required.

A family ticket offers good value for two adults and an unlimited amount of children under the age of 16. This costs €59.

The museum audio guide, which is an extra, costs €3. You do not need the museum audio guide, but might find it interesting.

How to get to the Allianz Arena

Bayern Munich's stadium is pretty far from the centre of Munich, but it's an incredibly well-connected city with fantastic public transport options, and so the journey to the Allianz Arena isn't too bad.

Take the Line 6 to get off at Fröttmaning. If you are in the old city centre, the Line 6 will take you to the Marienplatz and it is a 15 minute ride. If trams are preferred over the metro, it is possible to take a tram to Marienplatz from Ostbahnhof and Hauptbahnhof, which happen to be the largest train stations in Munich.

Allianz Arena key facts

Capacity: 75,024 (59,230 seated and 15,794 standing)

Address: Allianz Arena, Werner-Heisenberg-Allee 25, 80939 München, Germany

Pitch Size: 105m x 68m

Year Ground Opened: 2005

Undersoil Heating: Yes

Preview of Allianz Arena stadium tour

Interested, but want to see if it's really worth it? Well, there are plenty of videos on YouTube taking you through the Bayern Munich stadium tour, including this one below demonstrating the walk through the dressing rooms, stands and much more. Take a look for yourself.

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With FC Bayern Tours, you can get close to the record champions

When the teams run into the stadium to the cheers of tens of thousands of fans and impressive plays provide plenty of moments with goosebumps, these are the kinds of emotions that only sport can give: great play and boundless jubilation with a passion that grabs those on the pitch and in the stands. Together we all cheer with FC Bayern Munich. No matter if they're in exciting matches in the UEFA Champions League, the DFB Cup, or the Bundesliga, FC Bayern Tours can always get you right in the heart of the action. We get you close to the beating heart of football right in the stadium!

Home Packages 2023/24

Experience great football and explore Munich

Spend an eventful weekend in the Bavarian capital Munich with FC Bayern Tours. The highlight will be at Allianz Arena as you cheer for FC Bayern Munich on their hunt for their 12th championship title in a row. Book our fanpackage now and get ready for some unforgettable moments in Munich.  

Packages include:

• 2 nights' accommodation incl. breakfast
• ticket to the match category 3
• Voucher for food + drink in the Allianz Arena 
• FC Bayern Munich fan surprise

Away Packages 2023/24

Hit the road with FC Bayern Munich

When away from their home at Allianz Arena, FC Bayern Munich needs their fans, too! Support the team and experience an exciting football weekend in Germany including a Bundesliga match.

• 1 night accommodation incl. breakfast
• 1 ticket to the match (guest contingent, seat)

UEFA Champions League 2023/24

Travel Europe with the record holders

Join the team of FC Bayern Munich as they hit the road and face top contenders on the European football stage. Depending on the destination, packages include flights or special trains directly to the place of action. And the best part is that the  ticket for the fan block is already included!

Your direct contact to our fan travel experts

from FC Bayern Tours

P: +49 (0)89 219 090 933

E: info(at)fcbayerntours.de

City tour and FC Bayern football tour

This unique city tour combines the most famous sights of the Bavarian capital with a visit to the Allianz Arena and the FC Bayern Museum. This way you can get to know and discover Munich as a city and the record-breaking football champion FC Bayern together.

Tickets included:

• 4-hour city tour along the most beautiful sights of Munich (Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays at 10 am )
• admission and tour of the Allianz Arena
• admission and visit to the FC Bayern Museum
• exclusively with us: free city map and 50 % discount on the official city guide
• free cancellation until 24 h before tour start

This city tour starts with the most beautiful sights in Munich and provides all kinds of interesting information about them. The highlight of the classic tour is not only for football fans but also the Allianz Arena , to which a lot of time is dedicated. Due to its impressive architecture the football temple became a landmark of the city.

On this tour you can explore the legendary stadium on your own and look forward to many highlights that will not only make footballers' hearts beat faster. You will also visit the FC Bayern club grounds and the FC Bayern Museum , Germany's largest club museum. There you will go on a spectacular journey through time, from the foundation of the German record champions in 1900 to their current successes. Entrance is already included. So you can discover the city of Munich and its football champions in four hours.

Important information

Start: 10 am, Thursday and Friday, 01.04. to 31.10.

Duration: 4 hours

Departure:  Karlsplatz 21 / Sonnenstrasse in front of Galeria Kaufhof

Information about your booked city tour: Interesting information about the sights and the fascinating world of FC Bayern Munich is available in German and English.

After successful booking you will receive your tickets automatically by e-mail. Alternatively, tickets can also be bought at the Tourist Information at Marienplatz and at the main train station .

You will receive the free City Map and the 50% discount on the official City Guide "simply Munich" upon presentation of your booking confirmation at the Tourist Information at Marienplatz or at main station (please note the current opening hours).

Current information: There are currently restrictions for visitors to the Allianz Arena. Areas such as the press conference room, the team cabins and the players' tunnel are currently closed and cannot be visited.

Photos: Markus Dlouhy, Dominik Morbitzer, Sigi Müller, Frank Stolle, Anna-Lena Zintel

Münchener Stadtrundfahrten oHG Heidemannstraße 220 80939   München

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Explore the Neue Rathaus on Marienplatz with an official tour guide. A visit of the famous law library is also included!

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Visit the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and relax on the journey to beautiful Lake Wolfgang.

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EURO 2024 host cities: Venue guide

Friday, June 14, 2024

Article summary

UEFA EURO 2024 will take place across ten world-class stadiums in Germany from the Olympiastadion Berlin to the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg. Find out history, tourist attractions, fixtures and stadium capacity for all the venues and cities.

Article top media content

Article body.

Three-time winners Germany will host the 17th UEFA European Championship in 2024.

EURO 2024 will be Germany's first major tournament as hosts since the 2006 FIFA World Cup and fixtures at this summer's showpiece event will take place in ten host cities including the capital, Berlin.

Discover the stadium capacity, history, fixtures and top tourist attractions for Berlin, Cologne, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dortmund, Leipzig, Gelsenkirchen, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf with our venue guides.

• Stadium capacity: 71,000
• Home team: Hertha Berlin
• Notably hosted: 2006 FIFA World Cup final, 2015 UEFA Champions League final

Olympiastadion Berlin history

The biggest venue at EURO 2024, the Olympiastadion has staged every German Cup final since 1985, as well as several high-profile games on the continental and international stage. Berlin hosted the 2006 World Cup final between Italy and France. Nine years later, Barcelona beat Juventus at the Olympiastadion Berlin to win the 2015 UEFA Champions League final.

EURO 2024 matches

15/06 : Spain vs Croatia (18:00) 21/06 : Poland vs Austria (18:00) 25/06 : Netherlands vs Austria (18:00) 29/06 : Round of 16 – 2A vs 2B (18:00) 06/07 : Quarter-final (21:00) 14/07 : Final (21:00)

• Berlin venue guide – read in full

A city with a rich history, Cologne sits on the River Rhine and is home to more than one million inhabitants, as well as Germany's most visited landmark: the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Cologne Stadium  

• Stadium capacity: 43,000
• Home team: 1. FC Köln
• Notably hosted: 2020 UEFA Europa League final

Cologne Stadium history

The home ground of 1. FC Köln, Cologne Stadium was reconstructed to stage matches at the 2006 World Cup and since 2010 has been the regular venue for Germany's Women's Cup final, as well as hosting American football, ice hockey and music concerts.

15/06 : Hungary vs Switzerland (15:00) 19/06 : Scotland vs Switzerland   (21:00) 22/06 : Belgium vs Romania   (21:00) 25/06 : England vs Slovenia (21:00) 30/06 : Round of 16 – 1B vs 3A/D/E/F (21:00)

• Cologne venue guide – read in full

Considered the cultural heart of the Ruhr region, Dortmund was known predominantly for coal, steel and beer 50 years ago, but has evolved into a major tech hub, with a lively cultural scene and rich sporting heritage on show at the German Football Museum.

BVB Stadion Dortmund

• Stadium capacity: 62,000
• Home team: Borussia Dortmund
• Notably hosted: 2001 UEFA Cup final

BVB Stadion Dortmund history

One of the most renowned venues in world football thanks to its famous 'Yellow Wall' stand, the BVB Stadion Dortmund is one of the largest arenas at UEFA EURO 2024 and has hosted a string of World Cup and European football fixtures, including the 2001 UEFA Cup final between Liverpool and Deportivo Alavés .

15/06 : Italy vs Albania   (21:00) 18/06 : Türkiye vs Georgia   (18:00) 22/06 : Türkiye vs Portugal   (18:00) 25/06 : France vs Poland   (18:00) 29/06 : Round of 16 – 1A vs 2C (21:00) 10/07 : Semi-final (21:00)

• Dortmund venue guide – read in full

The capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf has 650,000 inhabitants and more than 250 beer houses and restaurants in its Old Town, which has been dubbed 'the longest bar in the world'.

Düsseldorf Arena  

• Stadium capacity: 47,000
• Home team: Fortuna Düsseldorf
• Notably hosted: 1988 UEFA European Championship group games (former Rheinstadion)

Düsseldorf Arena history

The Düsseldorf Arena is one of the smaller UEFA EURO 2024 venues but still has a capacity of well over 40,000 and is currently home to Fortuna Düsseldorf, whose most recent Bundesliga campaign came in 2019/20.

17/06 : Austria vs France   (21:00) 21/06 : Slovakia vs Ukraine (15:00) 24/06 : Albania vs Spain (21:00)   01/07 : Round of 16 – 2D vs 2E (18:00) 06/07 : Quarter-final (18:00)

• Düsseldorf venue guide – read in full

A global hub for commerce and finance situated on the banks of the river Main, Frankfurt is Germany's fifth largest city and its distinct skyline has earned it the nickname 'Mainhattan'.

Frankfurt Arena  

• Home team: Eintracht Frankfurt
• Notably hosted: 2002 UEFA Women's Cup final, 2006 World Cup quarter-final

Frankfurt Arena history

The Frankfurt Arena, home of Eintracht Frankfurt, was built in 1925 and has hosted games at several major tournaments including the 1988 UEFA European Championship and the 2006 World Cup.

17/06 : Belgium vs Slovakia   (18:00)   20/06 : Denmark vs England   (18:00) 23/06 : Switzerland vs Germany   (21:00) 26/06 : Slovakia vs Romania   (18:00) 01/07 : Round of 16 – 1F vs 3A/B/C (21:00)

• Frankfurt venue guide – read in full

Gelsenkirchen

Gelsenkirchen is known for its coal mining and steelmaking history, but visitors will these days find green space, theatres and boat cruises, as well as industrial heritage in the Ruhr region.

Arena AufSchalke  

• Stadium capacity: 50,000
• Home team: Schalke
• Notably hosted: 2004 UEFA Champions League final, 2006 World Cup quarter-final

Arena AufSchalke history

The Arena AufSchalke, which opened in August 2001, is the home of seven-time German champions and 1996/97 UEFA Cup winners Schalke and features a retractable roof and slide-out pitch. Cristiano Ronaldo provided a memorable moment here for Portugal in their shoot-out success over England at the 2006 World Cup.

16/06 : Serbia vs England   (21:00) 20/06 : Spain vs Italy   (21:00) 26/06 : Georgia vs Portugal   (21:00)   30/06 : Round of 16 – 1C vs 3D/E/F (18:00)

• Gelsenkirchen venue guide – read in full

The third biggest European city that is not a national capital, Hamburg has a world-renowned harbour, a rich cultural history, impressive architecture and nightlife that makes it a 'bucket list' city for many tourists.

Volksparkstadion Hamburg  

• Stadium capacity: 49,000
• Home team: Hamburger SV
• Notably hosted: 2010 Europa League final, 2006 World Cup quarter-final

Volksparkstadion Hamburg history

The Volksparkstadion Hamburg was first opened in 1953 but received a significant upgrade in 2000 and has hosted matches at the 1988 UEFA European Championship and the 1974 and 2006 World Cups.

16/06 : Poland vs Netherlands   (15:00) 19/06 : Croatia vs Albania   (15:00) 22/06 : Georgia vs Czechia   (15:00)   26/06 : Czechia vs Türkiye (21:00)   05/07 : Quarter-final (21:00)

• Hamburg venue guide – read in full

Once the home of Johann Sebastian Bach, Leipzig is steeped in culture and history, not least the peaceful demonstrations in 1989 which captured the mood as Germany moved toward reunification.

Leipzig Stadium  

• Stadium capacity: 40,000
• Home team: RB Leipzig
• Notably hosted: 2006 World Cup group stage and round of 16 games

Leipzig Stadium history

Home to Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, Leipzig Stadium – which features a state-of-the-art roof – opened in 2004, having been rebuilt inside the shell of the old Zentralstadion, the biggest stadium in the former East Germany.

18/06 : Portugal vs Czechia   (21:00) 21/06 : Netherlands vs France   (21:00) 24/06 : Croatia vs Italy   (21:00) 02/07 : Round of 16 – 1D vs 2F (21:00)

• Leipzig venue guide – read in full

Home to around 1.6 million people, Munich is Germany's third largest city and a destination brimming with history, art galleries, parks and beer gardens.

Munich Football Arena  

• Stadium capacity: 66,000
• Home team: Bayern München
• Notably hosted: 2012 UEFA Champions League final, EURO 2020 quarter-final

Munich Football Arena histor y

Built by local rivals Bayern München and 1860 München, the Munich Football Arena was opened in 2005, although Bayern have since taken full ownership of the stadium. It served up a memorable 2012 Champions League final, when Chelsea defied home advantage to beat Bayern on penalties, and held several UEFA EURO 2020 games, including Italy's 2-1 quarter-final victory against Belgium.

14/06 : Germany vs Scotland   (21:00) 17/06 : Romania vs Ukraine   (15:00) 20/06 : Slovenia vs Serbia (15:00)   25/06 : Denmark vs Serbia   (21:00)   02/07 : Round of 16 – 1E vs 3A/B/C/D (18:00) 09/07 : Semi-final (21:00)

• Munich venue guide – read in full

Stuttgart is a major industrial city and home to two of the most famous car manufacturers in the world, Mercedes and Porsche, but visitors can also enjoy a rich winemaking and culinary scene, with Flädlesuppe (pancake soup) among the local specialities.

Stuttgart Arena  

• Stadium capacity: 51,000
• Home team: VfB Stuttgart
• Notably hosted: 1998 European Cup final, 2006 World Cup third-place play-off

Stuttgart Arena history

The Stuttgart Arena has been renovated and modernised several times since being built in 1993 and has staged games at the 1974 and 2006 World Cups, as well as the 1988 UEFA European Championship.

16/06 : Slovenia vs Denmark   (18:00) 19/06 : Germany vs Hungary   (18:00) 23/06 : Scotland vs Hungary   (21:00) 26/06 : Ukraine vs Belgium   (18:00)   05/07 : Quarter-final (18:00)

• Stuttgart venue guide – read in full

When is UEFA EURO 2024?

The UEFA EURO 2024 final tournament takes place from 14 June to 14 July 2024.

Who has qualified for EURO?

The final tournament draw took place on 2 December 2023 at Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.

Group A : Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland Group B : Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania Group C : Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England Group D : Poland, Netherlands, Austria, France Group E : Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine Group F : Türkiye, Georgia, Portugal, Czechia

All kick-off times CEST .

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Munich, a Euros guide: Where to go in Europe's beer garden capital

M unich is one of the ten venues for the upcoming European Football Championships, and fans from Germany, Scotland, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, Ukraine and Denmark will be descending on the capital of Bavaria to cheer their teams on. Also, Munich's famed Allianz Arena will see one second-round match and one of the tournament's two semi-final matches.

The 2024 tournament kicks off in Munich on June 14 when Germany hosts Scotland. But whether you are here to actually attend a match, or just happen to be in Munich, the question is - where, from the fan viewpoint, will the action be happening? Where to experience the football atmosphere away from the stadium? And besides football, what else does Munich have to offer? Here are a few tips.

1. Public screenings

The official fan zone is in the Olympiapark (venue of the 1972 Summer Olympics), where all 51 tournament matches will be shown - free of charge. The setting, located near the majestic Olympic Stadium, is the Olympic Lake, where the TV broadcasts will be projected onto a 120 square-metre outdoor screen.

2. Stadium: Allianz Arena 

The Allianz Arena - home of football giant FC Bayern in the northern part of the city - is the venue for all the matches in Munich. Fans travelling from the Marienplatz square in the city centre are best advised to take the U6 subway line, a roughly 20-minute ride, to the Fröttmaning stop. During the championships the stadium will officially be called Fussball Arena München (Football Arena Munich).

If you're driving it is very important to know that beforehand you must book your parking permits for the public parking garages at the stadium. The number of permits is limited. Without advance booking you won't get in. Generally speaking, tournament organisers advise against driving with your car to the stadium.

3. Pilgrimage places for die-hard football fans

Munich stands for two major football clubs, the arch-rivals FC Bayern and TSV 1860 Munich. In the Allianz Arena, Bayern has established a museum which the club claims is the largest of its kind in Germany. You can book tickets to the museum online ahead of time and tickets can also be purchased in combination with a stadium tour.

But for some days during the tournament bookings cannot be made. A further pilgrimage point for Bayern fans is the team training quarters - with fan shop - in the Säbener Street in the southern part of the city. 

TSV 1860 Munich is not the great supra-regional footballing power like FC Bayern, but the club has many die-hard fans in the city. The Grünwalder Stadion of what fans call the "Sechziger" (Sixties) is in the Grünwalder Street in the district of Giesing. It was built in 1911 and is thereby the oldest stadium in Munich. It was also the largest until 1972, when the Olympic Stadium was opened. 

If the public viewing in the Olympic Park is too big for you, the "Stadion an der Schleißheimer Straße" - it's actually a pub - in the Maxvorstadt district might be a good bet. However, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, what is "probably Munich's most famous football pub" is anything but an insider tip. So it's best to book a seat early.

4. What else Munich offers besides football 

The large open-air market Viktualienmarkt offers a full Bavarian experience: First Leberkäse (a kind of meat loaf) in a breadroll, then a stroll through the market stalls. If you still have time and the weather is fine, sit under the trees in the beer garden and drink a litre of beer while watching this archetypical Munich scene.

If you are already out and about in the city centre, you can also stop by Marienplatz square with the New Town Hall and carillon (daily at 11:00 and 12:00 and from March to October also at 17:00). Football fans will recognise the balcony: This is where FC Bayern celebrates the titles it has won with its supporters on the square below. Just around the corner is the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), which dominates Munich's cityscape with its two onion domes.

A dip in the Isar, the river that runs through the city, promises to cool you down in summer. The longest bathing zone close to the city centre is between Flauchersteg and Wittelsbacherbrücke.

To get a bit of fresh air and a break from the hustle and bustle, head to the English Garden, one of the largest inner-city parks in the world. It is also home to the Eisbach wave, where surfers show off their skills. If you like particularly well-kept parks, head to the west of the city to Nymphenburg Palace, once the summer residence of the Bavarian rulers.

If the weather is inclement, a magnificent indoor venue is the world-renowned museum of science and technology, Deutsches Museum, located on an island in the Isar River. There, 20,000 square metres of exhibition await you, so plan to budget a bit more of your time to take it all in.

From June 28 through July 7, a further diversion from the football frenzy will be the 41st Munich International Film festival , featuring films from around the world and screenings in several cinemas around the city.

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Bayern Munich fans protest CSKA Moscow full stadium ban

Bayern Munich fans have protested against UEFA's decision to stage the club's Champions League game at CSKA Moscow this month behind closed doors.

- Lovell: Bayern in fine fettle ahead of City clash - Hopfner doubts Hoeness will resume full role

UEFA ruled in February that no supporters would be allowed to attend CSKA's next European home game as punishment for racist chanting during a Champions League game against Viktoria Plzen in the Czech Republic in December 2013.

The ruling had come after UEFA had hit CSKA with a partial stadium closure after finding the club's supporters guilty of racially abusing Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure in October last year.

However, the full stadium closure for the meeting with Bayern on Sept. 30 will also impact on fans of the Bundesliga champions, with some having booked their flights to Moscow immediately after the fixtures were announced in late August, only to be informed about the UEFA ruling the following day.

The biggest Bayern Munich fan association, Club Nr.12, has now questioned the sanction on the grounds that it also punishes the away fans and invited UEFA to hold further talks on the matter ahead of the meeting with Manchester City in Munich on Wednesday.

In an open letter to the governing body published on Facebook , Club Nr.12 argued that the die-hard fans in Bayern's Sudkurve -- the main fan section at the Allianz Arena -- have battled against anti-Semitism and discrimination for many years, and have also been honoured by the German FA for doing so.

It cited two previous cases -- Schalke's game away to PAOK in 2013 and Northern Ireland's game away to Serbia in 2011 -- in which travelling fans were allowed to attend matches despite stadium closures.

"It defies explanation why this practice should not be repeated in the upcoming FC Bayern match in Moscow," the letter read. "To punish innocent fans not only goes against the values of fair play, but moreover destroys the joint commitment of fans, clubs and UEFA in the fight against racism and discrimination."

However, on Tuesday afternoon, UEFA had still to reply to the open letter sent on Friday.

"It was important to take a stand," Martin Brinkmann of Club Nr.12 told ESPN FC. "But sadly we have not received a reply from the UEFA until now."

Bayern -- who spent 90,000 euros earlier this year to subsidise fans' tickets for their Champions League tie away to Arsenal -- have backed the supporters' bid to attend the club and have contacted UEFA to draw its attention to the Club Nr.12 letter.

Bayern media director Markus Horwick told ESPN FC he is hopeful that a solution can be found, adding: "The Moscow match is still a little while away."

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Why Germany v Scotland stadium is NOT called Allianz Arena for glamour Euro 2024 opener

• David Oliver , Online Sports Reporter
• Published : 19:44, 13 Jun 2024
• Updated : 19:47, 13 Jun 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

ALL eyes will be on Scotland when they share the stage with Germany at the European Championships' big kick-off.

All roads have led to Munich on June 14.

But NOT to the Allianz Arena.

Well, not quite.

Bayern Munich 's home IS hosting the curtain raiser of this year's football extravaganza.

The stadium - encased in white patterned cushions - has become synonymous with Bundesliga and Champions League football since it opened in 2005.

Read More in Football

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Impressive inside as it is out on it's colour-changing facade, the 71,000 capacity ground will be a fitting venue for the opener - although Uefa could have sold the stadium out several times over with 100,000 Tartan Army due to fly in for the festivities.

While Berlin will have the final on July 14 - Munich has been handed the honours for the opening ceremony for the eagerly awaited summer showpiece.

But not the 'Allianz Arena'. There's a twist.

For the purposes of the Euro 2024 tournament the ground will be known under a different name due to a little known rule.

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As per the governing body 's strict sponsorship and branding guidelines, only official tournament partners are permitted to be associated with Uefa competitions .

When officials move in to host games at grounds across the continent their rules - and their rules only - apply. The same goes for their sponsors and partners.

That means sponsored stadia like Arsenal 's Emirates , Manchester City 's Etihad Stadium and Borussia Dortmund 's Signal Iduna Arena are forced into a temporary name change.

Usually, Uefa just apply the club's name to the ground and venue.

The City of Manchester Stadium is home to England 's champions. Their EPL rivals play Euro games at 'the Arsenal Stadium' while Borussia Dortmund host games in the BVB Stadion Dortmund.

When Bayern Munich moved out of the run down Olympic Stadium and six miles further out of town they sold the naming rights to banking giants Allianz for a lucrative €8 MILLION per year.

They recently extended that to €130m to cover the next decade.

But it won't apply this summer.

The iconic bank branding is covered up for Champions League games and was even removed for the FIFA World Cup in 2006 - where similar rules apply.

For these games Bayern Munich play at the Fußball Arena München - which is what the ground will likely be known as for the summer, and the Scots', big kick-off.

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Watch our daily GoBallistic podcast with Roger Hannah and our SunSport team in Germany as the Tartan Army marches on Munich in search of glory.

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However the name could change AGAIN - though not back to the bank.

After the death of German football legend Franz Beckenbauer earlier this year, football fans campaigned for the ground to be renamed in his honour for the tournament.

Read more on the Scottish Sun

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Moment Scotland fan gets hero's welcome after 1000-mile walk to Munich

It's not just stadiums to be affected either.

In Austria , Red Bull Salzburg are reigning champions but under the same branding rules, they were represented in the Champions League under a re-branded name - FC Salzburg.

Keep up to date with ALL t h e latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page

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VTB Arena – Central Stadium

Club: FC Dynamo Moscow | Opening: 2018 | Capacity: 25,716 seats

History & description

The VTB Arena is the recently opened new stadium of FC Dynamo.

First plans for the stadium were published in the summer of 2010 and showed a new stadium to be built on the site of the old Dynamo Stadium that had closed in 2008. Part of the facade, that is listed as a monument, was to be preserved in the new stadium design, though most of the old stadium would be demolished.

The project was led by the VTB Bank, which is for 85% owned by the Russian government and itself owns 75% of FC Dynamo Moscow. The total project consisted of a football stadium, multi-use indoor arena, and several real-estate projects, all with a total value of $1.5 billion. 

Demolition of the stadium started late 2011 and was completed in 2012, after which construction of the new arena started. The new arena was initially scheduled to be completed in 2016, however it took until late 2018 for the stadium to open.

Whereas the stadium opened on 20 December 2018 with an opening ceremony, it took until the 26th of May of that year for the stadium to be fully completed and the first match to be played. The first match was a league match between Dynamo and Arsenal Tula (3-3).

How to get to the VTB Arena

The VTB Arena is located rather central at about 5 kilometres north-west of Moscow’s centre. The stadium lies on Leningradsky Avenue, one of Moscow main roads at just 2 kilometres north from Belorussky railway station. CSKA’s VEB Arena lies a bit further up the road.

The stadium is easily reached by metro . Stations Dinamo and Petrovsky Park lie right next to the stadium. Dinamo station is on the green Line 2 that runs right through Moscow’s centre. Petrovsky Park is on line 8A and 11, which don’t connect to any central areas but can be useful if connecting from other lines.

Dynamo Moscow Tickets

Dynamo Moscow tickets can be bought online , or, though limited, at the box office at the stadium.

Tickets typically go on sale in the week before the match.

Expect to pay from Rub. 900 for an upper tier seat behind the goal to Rub. 3,600 for the best seats at the main stand. Tickets for the other side range between Rub. 1,000 and Rub. 2,000. Prices for high-profile matches tend to be Rub. 300-1,000 higher.

Photos of the VTB Arena

Photo credits: mos.ru

Useful Internet links

Fcdynamo.ru – Official website of FC Dynamo Moscow. Moscow.ru  – Moscow international portal. Mosmetro.ru  – Information on the Moscow metro network

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FC Bayern Museum  

FC Bayern Museum: Information, tickets, exhibitions

The FC Bayern Museum

Our club. Our history. Since 1900.

Fcb museum for kids.

Important notice

Changed access to Allianz Arena

Visitor information.

During the European Championships, the Allianz Arena will be open to visitors (outside of matchdays) on the following days (subject to change at short notice)

• 17 May 2024 to 12 June 2024
• 21 June 2024 to 23 June 2024
• 26 June 2024 to 30 June 2024
• 3 July 2024 to 7 July 2024
• 10 July 2024 to 16 July 2024

How to get to the Munich Football Arena

Access to the Allianz Arena is only possible via the PARKING away fans (Parkhaus Gäste) .

Please follow the signs at the exit of Fröttmaning underground station. The footpath leads along the Fröttmaninger Heide over the pedestrian bridge to the north visitor entrance. We recommend that you arrive at Fröttmaning underground station 90 minutes before the start of your booked tour.

• Leave the A9 or A99 motorway at the exit for Fröttmaning.
• Follow the signs to the visitor car park (north of the stadium).

Our security and service staff are available on site.

Access to the Munich Football Arena

Please note:

• A maximum of one plastic bottle (maximum 0.5 litre) per person may be taken into the stadium.
• A maximum of 1 bag (no larger than A4) per person may be taken into the stadium.
• All visitors must arrive at the entrance to the stadium at least 60 minutes before the start of the booked tour.

On non-matchdays 

Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm. Last admission is at 5:15 pm.

On matchdays

Please check our opening hours on match days here .

FC Bayern Museum 

Fc bayern museum + arena tour , fc bayern museum + arena view, non-matchdays.

Please note the special access and parking regulations during the 2024 European Football Championships. All information can be found here .

By public transport:

The travel time from Marienplatz to Fröttmanning is approximately 16 minutes. Then walk to the stadium via the Heideweg to the entrance away fans.

Parking for cars and coaches:

On non-matchdays, visitors to the FC Bayern Museum and the Allianz Arena may only park in the PARKING away fans (Parkhaus Gäste). The park north (Busparkplatz Nord) is currently closed .

Parking fees: Cars: €5, Buses: €10

Payment: The payment needs to be done at the exit of the car park.

Take the S-Bahn from Munich Main Station (Hauptbahnhof) or Munich East Station (Ostbahnhof) to Marienplatz. From there take the U6 underground line (in the direction of Garching-Forschungszentrum) to Fröttmaning.

The travel time from Marienplatz to Fröttmanning is approximately 16 minutes. Then walk to the stadium via the Espalande, pass through the turnstiles at the south main entrance "Haupteingang Süd" and follow signs to FC Bayern Museum/ Arena Touren. The walk takes 15-20 minutes.

On matchdays, 9,800 parking spaces are available in P1, P2 and P3, the Arena’s four-storey underground car parks.  On matchdays the car parks are open from 8am, please follow the traffic management signs!

Parking fees/car: Single parking ticket via number plate recognition up to the day before the match: €12

Single parking ticket via number plate recognition on matchday: €15

Cash payment on exit (without number plate recognition): €20

Payment: Cash or card Payment at the pay machines to exit the parking lots is possible. At the end of the match, the parking lots will be staffed for approximately two hours (depending on demand). Click  here  for more information.

FC Bayern Museum

Single tickets.

Immerse yourself in the history of FC Bayern München and experience Germany's largest club museum.

Available daily, duration: 1,5h

Audio Guide in 11 languages

FC Bayern Museum + Arena Tour Welcome Europe

Single tickets and group tickets.

Find out how to experience the Arena Tour Welcome Europe during the European Football Championships 2024.

Duration: 2,5h

In German and English

FC Bayern Museum + Arena Tour

The full FC Bayern experience: Combine your visit to the club museum with an Arena Tour. 

Available daily, duration: 2,5h

In German end English

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European Championship

Hungary, Viktor Orban and the weaponisation of a national football team

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Viktor Orban could not have been clearer.

“Today, we have a national team that goes into the game with the chance to win against anyone,” Hungary’s prime minister told its tabloid newspaper Blikk last month. “We can’t be underdogs — those little boys who just got out and are trying to behave properly on the pitch. We are men and we want to beat you.”

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The words were typical Orban; a nationalistic projection of defiance, a refusal to accept Hungary ’s place in the established order of modern Europe. His long and divisive political career has been shaped by the same messaging and now, after a second spell as head of state that has lasted 14 years, Orban sees capable flagbearers in Hungary’s national football team.

Perhaps not since the 1950s, during the fabled era of Ferenc Puskas and the team dubbed the Magical Magyars, have Hungary known a side as accomplished as the current one nurtured by Italian head coach Marco Rossi. Unbeaten during their qualification campaign for the 2024 European Championship, the past two years have also brought competitive wins over England (twice) and Germany . The days of losing to minnows Andorra, as they did in 2017, are long gone.

Orban, the nation’s 61-year-old populist and autocratic figurehead, knows a good thing when he sees one and has been quick to latch onto the team’s rise.

Sport – and primarily football – mixes freely with politics under his right-wing Fidesz party. An estimated £2.2billion ($2.8bn) of public funds have gone towards renovating stadiums and training facilities across the country since it came to power in 2010. Political opponents have suggested more has been spent on the development of young footballers than teachers.

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“Football for Orban is not a sport, it’s a way of expressing an ideology,” says Simon Chadwick, professor of sport and geopolitical economy at the SKEMA Business School in Paris, France.

“We see it all over the world: Donald Trump making America great again. President Xi making China great again. Vladimir Putin making Russia great again. Orban’s policies play to a narrative of making Hungary great again.”

Almost every Hungarian top-flight club has either a new or rebuilt stadium funded by the state and Budapest’s 67,000-capacity, £500million Puskas Arena was last month selected to host the 2025-26 Champions League final . It previously staged the 2022-23 Europa League final and four games at the previous European Championship three years ago.

None of it has been accidental. Orban has pushed to restore Hungarian football to prominence, using his favourite sport to secure political gains domestically and legitimacy further afield. Orban’s supporters argue it has been money well spent after decades of decline. His opponents, though, see only the vanity of backing sporting projects in a country still beset by poverty.

Hungary will aim to deliver on their burgeoning potential in Germany over the coming weeks, but the thread running through the story of their revival is unmistakably political.

It is 11 days before Hungary’s opening group game at Euro 2024 and their preparations have brought them to Dublin for a warm-up friendly against the Republic of Ireland . Roughly 1,500 fans have made the journey for the match and a sizeable number have settled in Slattery’s, a pub next to the Aviva Stadium, ahead of kick-off.

“This is our best team since 1986,” says Sandor, who has travelled with friends from his home on the outskirts of Budapest. He is the only member of their group yet to secure a ticket for the Euros. “There is a lot of excitement. We have a chance.”

UEFA has said that Hungary is one of the top five nations to have requested Euro 2024 tickets from outside tournament hosts Germany, along with England, Turkey, Albania and Croatia. Budapest to Stuttgart, where Hungary play two of their three group games, is roughly nine hours by car and that sort of accessibility ensures tens of thousands will travel.

Orban is not alone in believing in this Hungary team.

Although they would eventually lose 2-1 to Ireland, thanks to Troy Parrott’s stoppage-time goal, they had previously gone 14 games without defeat, their best run since Puskas’ time in the 1950s. Four days later, they responded with an emphatic 3-0 home win against Israel; this Saturday, the serious stuff starts against Switzerland in Cologne.

A legendary Hungary team got to the 1954 World Cup final, losing 3-2 to West Germany, and there were quarter-finals in 1962 and 1966, but the 1986 World Cup, where they missed out on a place in the last 16 on goal difference, is as good as it has been since. The years that followed Mexico 1986 were miserable — not until Euro 2016 did Hungary qualify for another major tournament.

Perceptions of today’s team are very different. Led by now- Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai , Hungary have become an accomplished, tactically astute side and are expected to advance to the knockout stage from a group that also includes Germany and Scotland .

“The national team right now is very popular,” says Janos Kele, a Hungarian sports journalist and left-wing political activist. “The country is united around them, but on a political level, the country is polarised on the topic of football and how money has been invested. It’s very easy to see the connection between Orban and football.”

Euro 2024 Group A guide: Germany's narrow No 10s, resolute Hungary and Scotland's set pieces

Hungary’s prime minister – who played the game to a semi-professional level – is a football obsessive. Political meetings are said to be scheduled around games and he is expected to attend all of Hungary’s fixtures at Euro 2024.

These coming weeks, he will argue, are the fruits of a controversial political strategy.

Shortly after returning to power in 2010 (after previously being in office from 1998 to 2002), Orban passed laws that enabled Hungary’s richest individuals and companies to benefit from tax breaks when investing a portion of their wealth into sport. It effectively amounted to a redistribution of the public purse, with money siphoned away from central government to fund a structural rebuild of Hungarian football.

Politics and football are now inseparable there.

Ferencvaros, Hungary’s most decorated club, have Gabor Kubatov, a senior figure in Fidesz, as president; it’s the same story with Andras Tallai, the secretary of state for parliamentary affairs and taxation, at Mezokovesd Zsory.

There are links back to Orban at every turn.

Sandor Csanyi, Hungary’s richest man and a long-standing ally of the prime minister, has been the president of the national football association since 2010, a member of UEFA’s executive committee since 2015, and a FIFA vice-president for five years, while Lorinc Meszaros, another of Hungary’s wealthiest individuals, is the leading backer of Puskas Akademia, a tiny club only founded in 2005 and based in Orban’s home village of Felscut.

Their stadium, the Pancho Arena, has come to stand as the emblem of Orban’s lavish spending on football.

Backing onto his countryside bolthole, a beautifully constructed 4,000-seater ground was built in a village that is home to less than 2,000 people, 25 miles west of Budapest . It is Hungarian football’s great white elephant, built for a reported £11million yet often attracting less than 1,000 fans.

“Orban is obsessed with power,” says journalist Kele. “And football and power have been successfully connected. It was not without risks. He allocated huge amounts of money into football, directly to finance professional clubs, not just the youth development programme.

“A lot of opposition voters are deeply against public investment in football and they see the whole strategy as mostly a political tool. A lot of the public money has gone directly to Felscut, a little village where Orban grew up. This is not to do with logical thinking, it is about the power of politics.”

Orban will point to Hungary’s impressive qualification for these Euros as reason to believe the investment has worked. Three of their 26-man squad for the tournament – Zsolt Nagy , Laszlo Kleinheisler and Roland Sallai –  are current or former Puskas Akademia players, while the domestic top division supplies nine of the 26.

Zsolt Low, the long-standing assistant of leading club manager Thomas Tuchel, made an unprompted point of highlighting his homeland’s resurgence in the aftermath of their Chelsea side winning the 2021 Champions League final. “We have a very good government that supports football and sport,” he said.

Opponents of Orban, though, give his lavish spending little credit in terms of Hungary’s revival. Their domestic league is ranked below those of Cyprus and Serbia in UEFA’s coefficients and there are some who see neighbouring European countries as the ones to thank for the current crop of players.

“One of the interesting things about this Hungarian national team is that a big proportion of the squad is based on foreign-developed players,” says Kele. “Some of them came from the Hungarian grassroots, like Szoboszlai, Sallai and Peter Gulacsi , and some of them are completely the product of another country’s system, like Loic Nego (born in France), Willi Orban (Germany), Callum Styles (England), Marton Dardai (Germany).

“ Milos Kerkez is someone in between the categories, a product of Serbian football (where he was born) and then Austria (from age 11) before coming to Hungary, but a lot of the players owe their development to German and Austrian programmes. There is a very small connection, if any, between Viktor Orban’s investment in football and the recent success of the national team.”

Germany is braced for Hungary’s arrival, especially in Stuttgart. It is there where Hungary will play their second and final games in Group A, against the host nation on Wednesday and then Scotland four days later.

Both have been categorised as high-risk security fixtures, with Carsten Hofler, the local police’s head of operations at Euro 2024, admitting the authorities are “concerned about the serious hooligan scene in Hungary” and promises a “robust” response in the event of trouble.

The reputation of Hungary’s followers inevitably precedes them.

Marching under the banner of the Carpathian Brigade, a nationalist ultras group formed in 2009, they have earned notoriety for violence, racism and an anti-LGBTQI+ stance across the past decade. To many, these fans are Orban’s unofficial footsoldiers.

Hungary’s hooligans, famed for wearing black clothes to games, fought in the stands at Euro 2016 in France when their team played Iceland in Marseille and made further headlines when clashing with police and stewards during a match against England at Wembley in October 2021.

That World Cup qualifier came just a month after the reverse fixture when Raheem Sterling and Jude Bellingham were racially abused during England’s 4-0 win at the Puskas Arena. Hungary were later fined £150,000 and ordered to play two games behind closed doors.

UEFA had already given out its own punishments in the wake of the pandemic-delayed Euro 2020 that summer. Homophobic banners were displayed by Hungary fans during their opening group game against Portugal , also at the Puskas Arena, before allegedly aiming racist abuse at France players in their second fixture, again at that Budapest venue.

An anti-LGBTQI+ banner was then displayed against Germany, an opponent they will face again next Wednesday, during their final group game in Munich. That came after UEFA refused a request from Munich’s mayor for the Allianz Arena to be lit in rainbow colours for the game — a symbolic protest at an anti-LGBTQI+ law in Hungary, where same-sex marriages remain banned under Orban. UEFA later handed out a three-game stadium ban and a fine of £85,000.

Tellingly, though, there is never any government condemnation of Hungary’s supporters. The opposite, in fact.

Minister for foreign affairs and trade Peter Szijjarto called UEFA a “pitiful and cowardly body” after the punishments were given out in 2021. He said: “They should be ashamed of themselves. Just like in Communism: no need for evidence, it’s enough to have anonymous reports.”

Hungary Euro 2024 team guide: Solid foundations and Szoboszlai magic cause for hope

Supporters intent on trouble have become emboldened.

“Orban has weaponised the ultras,” says Professor Chadwick. “He will have lived his formative years under Communism in Hungary. If you look at places like Yugoslavia and Serbia, where fandom was weaponised during the Bosnian War, Orban will be familiar with this game. You don’t give fans something for nothing. This hardline enforcement of Hungarian populism is part of that. It’s about Orban projecting assertiveness and power – making it clear where his loyalties lie.”

A small pocket of fans affiliated with the Carpathian Brigade were in Dublin for that friendly last week and there were minor scuffles with stewards, but the majority were saving themselves for the tournament itself. Local authorities in Germany already have plans in place to thwart those seeking violence.

The Carpathian Brigade might have been initially formed with government backing to unite Hungary’s fractured fanbase, but its overt nationalism, mirroring many of Orban’s hard-line policies on immigration, depicts a substantial section of the team’s support in a sinister light. Links to Orban are unwritten but obvious.

“These far-right, ultras groups are, in my opinion, the minority in the fanbase. But they are the loudest,” says Kele. “They show up in their black T-shirts and it’s a bit frightening. Orban has very good political connections with this far-right fanbase, who are strongly and deeply supportive of his views. And he will never condemn those fans.”

Orban’s Hungary, too, clings to history.

As well as harking back to a golden footballing age, when Hungary famously schooled England 6-3 at Wembley in 1953, its supporters can also be regularly heard chanting their opposition to the Treaty of Trianon.

That agreement, reached in 1920, saw Hungary sign away two-thirds of its land under duress having been an ally of Germany in the First World War. Over three million Hungarians suddenly lived on the other side of their country’s borders, in nations including Romania and what was then Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Fans regularly display flags depicting the pre-1920 borders and it remains a wound Orban refuses to let heal.

Again, Orban has used football to push agendas. Slovakian club Dac, Sepsi of Romania and Serbia’s Backa Topola have also been financially backed by the Hungarian state. All three are from towns that were once part of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Sepsi, in particular, illustrate Orban’s wish to disrupt. A club only founded in 2011 had an 8,000-capacity stadium built in 2019 with money donated by Orban’s government and, despite being in the heart of what is now Romania , have traditionally played the Hungarian national anthem at their matches.

“Orban understands the power of football,” says Chadwick. “Look at Saudi Arabia, (or) China 10 years ago, Russia. It’s very clear there’s a 21st-century despotic template, whereby sports, particularly football, are a means to assert power but also project a particular image of a country.”

The European Parliament elections, held in Hungary last weekend, hinted that Orban’s powers will face a rare threat in the years to come.

One-time ally Peter Magyar has emerged as a genuine rival, winning just under 30 per cent of the vote with his Respect And Freedom (TISZA) party. Fidesz was still backed by 44 per cent, but it was its worst performance at the European elections in 20 years. “This is the Waterloo of Orban’s factory of power, the beginning of the end,” says Magyar.

No sitting head of state within the European Union has had a longer reign than Orban, who will have been in office for 16 consecutive years by the time of the next national elections in 2026.

That will also be the year the Puskas Arena hosts the Champions League final — the biggest club fixture in world football. Csanyi, head of the Hungarian FA and a UEFA Ex-Co member, said the prestige of the occasion would “contribute to the continued development of football in Hungary and to its popularity”.

And to Orban’s popularity? Quite possibly.

“In my opinion, Hungary is a pessimistic country, one that was big and strong before the First World War and then became a small country,” says Kele. “Doing this sends a message to the public that we are strong enough to host something like the Champions League final.”

UEFA continues to look past the concerns much of Western Europe has regarding Orban and Fidesz. There is no wish to dwell on Hungary’s Propaganda Law, which prohibits discussions and portrayals of LGBTQI+ people in schools and in the media. Amnesty International says the ruling, introduced in 2021, has “created a cloud of fear” and “contributed to negative stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes towards LGBTQI+ people”.

Along with immigration and an opposition to being drawn into the Ukraine war, what it calls “gender ideology” was one of the three pillars of Fidesz’s campaigning for the EU elections and, though support was reduced, over two million voters continued to back Orban.

Almost one in two Hungarians remain loyal to their prime minister, who counts Italian and French far-right politicians Giorgia Meloni and Marine Le Pen as allies. Putin is another friend, with Russia’s influence growing in Hungary. Energy giant Gazprom has reportedly agreed a sponsorship deal with Budapest-based Ferencvaros, who just won the domestic title for the sixth season in a row.

“One of the things we know about Orban is that he’s looking more towards Moscow than he is to Brussels (where the EU is based),” says Chadwick.

Putin’s playbook is now being thumbed by Orban. Budapest failed in its bid to stage this summer’s Olympics but, as Russia did when hosting a string of prestigious sporting events before the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Hungary is intent on raising its profile.

“What is Hungary projecting right now?” asks Chadwick. “It’s an image of progressiveness and reform, modernisation and success – making Hungary great again.

“Internationally, Orban does have a sharp sense of diplomacy. The word that ties it all together is ‘legitimacy’. And football gives countries a legitimacy that they otherwise might not have.”

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